How a Mosque Managed a Crisis: The ISBCC Response to the Boston Marathon Bombing

This sixth report in ISPU’s “Reimagining Muslim Spaces” series presents a case study of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC), the largest mosque in New England. Specifically, we examine its effective navigation of the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. By analyzing what ISBCC did, this report aims to provide American mosques with a set of actions that can allow them to successfully manage such crises and emerge as stronger and better-established players in their broader communities.

The goal of the “Reimagining Muslim Spaces” project is to produce research-driven recommendations to enable the development of a mosque that is:

Welcoming: Inclusive and engaging

Well Governed: Effective and transparent

A Hub for Hope: A source of community service

To illustrate how mosques can serve as hubs for hope, ISPU identified real life examples of American Muslim Institutions doing just that. Rather than simply providing theoretical advice, our researchers interviewed the very people who built these programs and institutions to identify the secret to their success and the wisdom gained from their struggles. We hope these case studies will inspire and instruct others working to develop institutions that serve and uplift.